Tarethniel & Mithral Hall
by ChrisTheDarkTemplarOfTethrin
Summary: A Elven Ranger gets dragged into a war between dwarves and drow when he meets Vadania,the Drow Cleric
1. The Elven Ranger

Chapter 1  
The Elven Ranger  
Tarethniel walked along the forest paths,winding his way through the trees.He was at home just as much in the forest as any other elf,and themsome due to his being a ranger trained all his life in these forests.this one being his home.But on closer examination you could see the tention in his long stride.His deep green eyes were narrowed in focus as he searced every shadow for any orcsign.His long white hair billowed slightly in the light breeze,but this breeze carried the stench of orc.He then saw a train of broken and mutilated trees,leading down to a clearing.He then went off path in a crouch as he spoted a group of orcs setting camp in the clearing below.He took up a high advantage point and kneeled down to get a better view.He took out his elven longbow,a beutifliy made bow of elven whitewood,shining as bright as polished mithral with carvings of unicorns and tree vines along the shaft of it.  
He strung a arrow in it but did not let fly.He closed his eyes in consentration as he summoned up his limited magical abilitys to summon ten illusions of himself all along the risings of the clearing.He took up his bow and pulled back the arrow.Likewise did his illusions in the same manner.He picked up a nearby target and letfly an arrow.eleven arrows flew down on the twenty orcs but only one died.The orcs scrambled at this surprise attack and many reached for bows themselves.One orc let fly an arrow Tarethniel's way but I bounced harmlessly off his shimering mithral chainmail.The glint of his chainmail caught the eye of the orc and he started sending commands out but before he was finished he droped dead.Many orc axemen went up to Tarethniels position."Oh,great.I hate orcs."Tarethniel sighed as he put up his bow and pulled out two scimitars.He tightend his grip on the scimitars,finely polished blades with a dragon carved into the hilt.And they burst into magical flame.He positioned himself to pounce,and then when the orcs were a mere 5 feet away he jumped out into their ranks.He crouched,turned,and then off flew one,two orc legs and down three more went in a pool of blood.  
He then jumped up,turned,and slashed his scimitars out,He blocked one axe,a sword,he glanced one attack off and slashed one orc down.Out went the scimitars,blocking one axe and glancing off the shoulder of an orc but that was enough to set the orc on fire with the magicly enhanced blades.the orc ran off screaming curses in the discusting orc language before collapsing in a heap of smoldering gore.One axe got past the elves defences and hit but pounced off his mail.Tarethniel used his magical abilitys to hold one orc inplace as he finished off the last of the wreched things.  
Tarethniel turned to the held orc and said to it in the common tougue"Do you speak common you orc filth?"the orc snarled and bared his teeth at this insult and then started speaking in the guttural orc language.Tarethniel,using his small knoledge of orc speech,said"Answer my questions or die orc."Tarethniel was disgusded at the sound of his own voice,usually light and meledoic,speaking the heavy orc language."Borok wil answer no questions for elf vermin."the orc answered.In response Tarethniel held up one of his scimitars,while not flaming was still very dangerus,up to the orcs throut."Ok,Ok, Borok will talk just no kill Borok!"The orc yelled."Then talk,Why are you here?"Asked Tarethniel."Uhh,Uhh,It was Enrook,he said that we must answer call to great power."Replied the orc."And who just is this "Great Power"?"Asked Tarethniel."I don't know,noone told ..............."the orc was cut off as a scimitar went through his neak.  
Tarethniel then walked off in the direction that the orcs came.He traveled but not for just under an hour when he spoted movement in the shadows,expecting more orcs he pulled out his scimitars,not bothering to magicly set them aflame,and moved out to the shadow.When he snaked past a tree and into a small vale.What Tarethniel saw then caught him off guard.A slim drow about three or four inches smaller than Tarethniels perfect six feet.She was dressed in a long dark black (almost as black as her skin) robe and had a long rapier on her hip."Ah,yes,finaly you are here,I was getting ready to leave."She said in almost perfect elven.Tarethniel,having dealt with drow only once before,Put his scimitars up in an x with the blades facing the drow."Ha,You amuse me elf,put those silly wepons down,I have no want to kill you."the drow said,not backing off an inch at Tarethniels obvius offensive."What do you want drow,and what are you doing on the surface,speak quickly or I will have to kill you."Tarethniel said.  
"Well first you should know,I am not drow,I am Vadania,Cleric of Lloth.And the reason I am here is to find you,that also answers why I am here on the surface,does it not?"She said."Why do you need to find me Drow?"Asked Tarethniel."Well,to put things simply,I need to kill you,You are a skilled elf ranger,as skilled as any dark elf,and you know the underdark better than any elf.I am here to eliminate a threat."Vadania simply stated.Tarethiniel tightend his grip on his finely crafted scimitars,seting them aflame.He came into a defensive stance.The drow laghed loudly as she pulled out a slender wand.She spoke a cammand word in drow which Tarethniel could not catch and there appered a drider!the half spider stood at almost 9 feet tall and held a large axe in each hand.the drider came in hard,trying to impale Tarethniel.Tarethniel rolled under the drider and stabed up at the driders belly,one stab glanced off the driders chitin,the other scored a scorching hit and the driders blood began to sizzle from the magical flame.  
The drider came at him with his axes,Swipeing and choping at Tarethniel.One hit him but I glanced harmlessly of the mithral armor but the axes summoned a darkness globe when they hit something.Tarethniel suddenly couldent see but he rolled to the side,almost got impaled by the diders pincers,But got out of the darkness globe,but then out of the corner of his eye he saw the drow casting a spell,a long bolt of energy shot out at Tarethniel.A lightning bolt.Tarethniel dodged to the right,got hit again by the driders axe,and to his horror,the lightning bolt turned and followed him.Tarethniel turned,rolled, and jumped out of the way of the drider and the lightning bolt.Then an idea came to him.He ran towords the drider,jumped,and landed on the driders back.  
The drider swerved and turned,trying to get the elf of its back,but could not reach Tarethniel.Then the lightning bolt flew at Tarethniel but followed Tarethniels swerving path,thus when I came up to hit Tarethniel,It was under the drider,the drider swayed and fell down in a heap on burnt flesh."Noooooo!!"Vadania cried as she saw her drider fall.She began casting a new spell but Tarethniel reached down to his belt,Realizing he could never reach her in time,and pulled out a throwing knive,he let fly and hoped it would hit its mark or he would be done for.  
Vadania screamed as a knive went straight through her hand,her spellcasting interupted,Tarethniel to this distraction to cut Vadania's throat,making a neat x.As the drow fell Tarethniel pondered a million questions going through his mind.While he was lost in his thoughts,he did not hear the silent drider slowly get up and prepare to charge.  
The Drider charged at him with its axes swinging ahead of him,Tarethniel was caught off guard and was hit solidly on the back.The axe split a line through the mithral and cut a gash in Tarethniels back.While the cut was of no problem to Tarethniel,It would serve as the downfall of the drider.Tarethniel spun around but the driders second axe knocked the scimitars out of Tarethniels hands.He spun around,dived,and rolled out to the right and drew his wonderful bow.  
One,two,three,four arrows went flying the driders way,two knocking out the axes from his hands,one severing a leg useless,likewise an arm of the drider from the fourth.Tarethniel quickly glanced down at his quiver,empty,he will have to let its magic work untill he can use his bow again.Out came the knives,He threw four of them before the drider came upon him again,all aimed at the driders leg,the drider,now supported only by 6 legs walked a bit clomsey but attacked.Tarethniel dove to the left and glanced off another blow from the driders pincers.  
Tarethniel picked up his scimitars are dove for the drider.He managed to slice off one more leg before the drider came up to attack but the ever quick Tarethniel dove off under the drider and off came another leg,aswell as another slice on its belly.the drider,unable to support itself,collapsed.Tarethniel walked up to it and severed its head from its neak.He looked down at his quiver,full again,and walked off to the body of Vadania.Spying a piece parchment in her pocket he picked it up and opened it up.There was a bit of drow writing on it he could not decipher and a map of Fareun.He studied the map and it showed the very forest he was in,with a line leading from there to a cave,or from the cave to the forest,and then another line from the cave to a mountain side.Tarethniel decided,If drow were on the surface once more and they dealings with dwarves and elves,then he should investigate,for the last time this happened,Matron Banrae had led a force of drow to conqure Mithral Hall,who was under the rule of Brunor Battlehammer,Eighth king of Mithral Hall.  
Tarethniel walked off into the forest in the direction of the elven town of where he was born and his family resides to get supplies before,as he dicided to go to Mithral Hall and investigate this further,for the dwarves might know more of this.

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Matron Vandree,Of house Vandree,now ruling house of Menzoberanzan moved down the hallway to her main quarters on a floatdisk.This house was the old house of Matron Banrae,one of the greatest Matrons of Menzoberanzan.This house is now much of what it was then during Banraes time,even the magical spiderweb fence still surrounds it but as Matron Vandree often said,"Do not dwell on the past,or your back will be cut by the present."Matron Vandree,A little young physicly by drow standerds,but all who measure her strength by age are dead,for Vandree is smarter than most drow in all of Menzoberanzan and Ched Nassad.Many say she has been blessed by Lloith herself on many occasions,and is granted forsight by The spider-queen for on more than one occasion Matron Vandree has had her soldiers waiting for enemys before they get a chance to set up any ambush or attack.Vandree floated right through a wall,which to any others eyes,was a real wall,but to Vandree it was a mere illusion,which it was.  
There stood Berntrag Vandree,Matron Vandrees eldest son, just inside the room.Next to him was Kinriel Vandree,Matron Vandrees eldest daughter and older than Berntrag by 50 years."How is the precesions going?"asked Matron Vandree."Very well,Lloith will be pleased."answered Kinriel.Berntrag just grined and nodded towords a balcony.Matron Vandree stood and walked over to the balconys edge and could not hide her pleasure.There in the area below stood atleast a million drow,all surrounding a enourmus bonfire of blue flame and chanting praise to Lloith with all their voice."Should we join them!?"Vandree had to yell to be heared by just Berntrag and Kinriel,who were standing next to her.They nodded.Vandree,followed by her children,they levitated down to just over the precesion,right next to the great fire.Vandree then joined in the chanting with her voice over all other voices as they pushed in a captured surface elf,along with his mithral chainmail shining blazingly in the fire and his bow,carved with symbols of Meiliki,the unicorn godess,As a sacrifice to Lloith.

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Go to Chapter two  
On and under the road.


	2. On And Under The Road

Chapter 2  
  
On and Over the Road  
  
Tarethniel walked into the vale of the elven town of Delintine,the place were born and grew.He walked through the "entrence" to the town,which was two trees with their branches grown together to make an organic arch.Two guards were standing at the entrence and one nodded towords Tarethniel and one said "Welcome back Tarethniel!"As Tarethniel has been out for the last two weeks hunting orc and it is a big thing for the defender of the village to be returning.He walked into a large market were merchants of both elves and human as well as half-elfs shouting their wares and many elves were buying,selling, or loseing gold and wares.  
  
About halfway across the city,in the main plaza were music was being played and many other.Tarethniel slowed to admire the site,he loved this village for it has been his home for all his life (167 years,which would make him about 18 if he was a human)."Tarethniel!your back!"Tarethniel heard someone say and as he turned about to acknoledge whoever said it he saw his sister,Aerial,running up to him with the largest smile on in the realms.younger than Tarethniel by exactly 60 years,she stood at a 5'8'' and had long,bright white hair,deep green eyes.She was beautiful by elven standerds,and heavenly by human standards,she still keeped the joyful spring of a child in her step.  
  
"Your back!Your back!" she said as she embraced Tarethniel in a warm hug.Tarethniel could only laugh and smile back.Her happyness was not a surprise to Tarethniel as he was her only family left alive,for just after she was born an orc raid had killed all of Tarethniel and Aerials family,they were left alive for their mother had put them in a locked room during the attack and after when half the city lay in ruins someone had found them and they were takein in by an old ranger by the name of Innovindil,who has now past away of old age."I'm so glad your back finnaly!" Aerial said."Well unfortuneatly I must be leaveing by sunset,I just came for some supplies."  
  
"What!!?,No,You cant be leaveing so soon!at least take me with you this time,yea!"Aerial Shouted."Oh,no,I'm sorry but your not comeing."said Tarethniel.Aerial looked up at him with soft,almost teary eyes"Please!you always leave me here by myself!"."It might be dangerus,to dangerus for you and I don't want you to get hurt."Tarethniel stated.This time Aerial looked up at him with a glare that could kill a man,"Your saying I cant defend myself!Nothings to tough for me!So comeon take me with you just this time,its sooo boring here and I have never been on an adventure with you!"."Fine,fine,you may come."Tarethniel finaly gave in.  
  
"YEA!so where are we going?"Aerial asked."To Mithral Hall,so get your things together and meet me outside home ok?"."Hmmmm,Mithral Hall,Isin't that the place were dwarves live or somethin,Hm,ok be back in a few minutes."Aerial said before she skiped off.Tarethniel followed suit and walked off towords their home,a cozy house made for three.Tarethniel walked into his room and put his pack down,setting his bow and scimitars,followed by his knives and quiver down on his bed.He walked over to a case and put his bow in it and pulled out his marvelus elven double longbow,made from the same whitewood as his composite longbow,and with many carvings of the Unicorn,symbol of Meiliki,on it.He emptyed his quiver out and put in a arrow carved out a wood dyed red and had many arcane carvings on it,imidiatly the arrow in the quiver began to multiply.He put on the quiver,a wonderfly carved symbol of Meiliki,and put his scimitars back in their scabbords.  
  
He packed rations and other supplies in his pack before going out to she his sister standing out infront of the door,a whitewood longbow much like Tarethniels and a long flacian by her side.She was dressed in a long green robe for forest traveling."Yea,now lets go!"She said eagerly walking over to Tarethniel and giving him a hearty hug and kiss on the cheek before walking over an getting two large white horses.Tarethniel mounted and they rode off towords the forest.Aerial began humming merily to herself and Tarethniel sighed under his breath."This is going to be a longer trip than I expected."and just smiled.  
  
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:later the next day:  
  
"What that sound?"Aerial whispered as they came to a split in the path and they had take the higher path that lead parralel to the other path but about 5 feet higher and more brush covred this path.Tarethniel closed his eyes as he listened.He heard a distant,Klopklop,Klopklop,like that made of a carrage or cart.They rode on for awhile untill they saw a cart with a cage on the center of it,drawn by a single black horse surronded by 4 drow.Tarethniel silently dismounted as well as Aerial and they walked silently up to the side of the cart,matching its pase."Stay here and stay out of trouble.Fire off some arrows if you must."Tarethniel said to Aerial,she nodded in agreement.  
  
Two arrows flew out and a drow fell easily,dead, another one fell to another volley,the reamaning two jumped up and drew slender rapiers.Tarethniel jumped down and drew his scimitars,he ingadged in a defensive manner to the two drow as another fell before Aerials markmenship.Tarethniel cut the last one down with his regular X slash.Aerial nodded towords Tarethniel and jumped down to join her brother.He walked up and took a look at what was in the cage.Tarethniel nearly fell over at what he saw and Aerial's normally juberant face turn white.There lay a lone elf,she had deep cuts on her arms and back and face.Tarethniel opened the cage and said to Aerial"Cut lose the horse and put out horses on the riegns,then take out some bandages or something."."Ok."Replied Aerial.Tarethniel took the elf out of the cage and pushed the cage off of the cart with a loud crash.He set her down and used some bandages aerial gave him to stem the cuts that were still bleeding and covered her wounds.Later that day,traveling now with the cart,they came upon a small lake were Tarethniel set camp. 


End file.
